One month away from its reincarnation, things are heating up for the New York Cosmos.
The team will honor some of its past stars before its debut in the second-tier North American Soccer League against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers Aug. 3 at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.
Legends Pele, the Cosmos honorary president, and Carlos Alberto will join the family of the late Giorgio Chinaglia for the pre-game ceremonies.
The three played in front of sellout crowds at Giants Stadium and received worldwide notoriety in the late 1970s for the original Cosmos.
“We can never forget the great memories of playing for the Cosmos,” Pele said in a statement on the team’s website. “It’s good to have the team back, and to involve my friend and captain Carlos Alberto, along with the family of Giorgio Chinaglia.”
While Pele and Carlos Alberto are two of the stars of the past, the team’s current biggest name – Marcos Senna – arrived in New York Monday. Born in Brazil, Senna competed for Spain 28 times, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2008.
The former Spanish international central midfielder, known for his passing range, long-distance shot and penalty kick prowess, played 11 seasons in Spain’s La Liga, leading Villarreal to the Champions League semifinals. Now Senna, 36, is looking forward to a new challenge on Long Island.
“I wanted the opportunity to build something new,” he said on the team’s official website. “The Cosmos are a growing team with an important history. With the NASL being a growing league, it is a great chance for me to be a part of something special.”
Senna met and practiced with his teammates for the first time Monday at the Cosmos new training grounds at Mitchel Athletic Complex. Among those players are Queens residents David Diosa and Sebastian Guenzatti, who were signed last Friday.
“Everything went well,” he said. “It was great to get out on the field with my new teammates and I am looking forward to getting to know them and to play under Giovanni Savarese.”
After hosting an open practice where fans were able to get a first glimpse at the Cosmos, the team will head to London, England for a training camp and exhibition matches against English squads Leyton Orient on July 24 and Watford on July 27.
“The trip to London is especially important for us in terms of the squad’s ongoing development for the start of our season,” Savarese said. “It’s a chance to play against two quality English opponents in front of their home fans – Leyton Orient are coming off a strong season in English League One and Watford narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League. These games will provide us with a good measuring stick to assess what things we need to work on.”
